George Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke
Encyclopedia
General
George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke and 8th Earl of Montgomery, KG
, PC (10 September 1759 – 26 October 1827) was a British peer
, army officer and politician.
in Wilton
, he was the only son of Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke and 7th Earl of Montgomery
and his wife, Elizabeth
, the second daughter of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
. He had a younger sister Charlotte, who died at the age of 10. He was educated at home and then Harrow School
from 1770 to 1775.
in the 12th Regiment of Foot in 1775 and travelled the continent
over the next five years, visiting France
, Austria
, Eastern Europe
, Russia
and Italy
with Rev. William Coxe
and Capt. John Floyd
.
Herbert was promoted to a lieutenant
in 1777 and became a captain
in the 75th Regiment of Foot
in 1778, before transferring to 1st The Royal Dragoons later that year. In 1781, he transferred to the 22nd Light Dragoons and the following year was promoted to a lieutenant-colonel in the 2nd Dragoon Guards.
At the start of the French Revolutionary Wars
, Herbert saw action in Flanders
, where he commanded the 2nd and 3rd Dragoon Guards
and liaised with Prussia
n and Austrian forces. He was also active in the Siege of Valenciennes
in 1793 and captured an enemy post at Hundssluyt, near Dunkirk, later that year.
for the family borough of Wilton
and sided with the Whig
opposition. He held the seat until 1784 when he was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
and sworn of the Privy Council
. He held the seat for Wilton again from 1788 to 1794, the year he inherited his father's titles and estate and also succeeded him as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
.
and his wife, Diana
.
After the death of his wife in 1793, Pembroke married Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova
, a daughter of Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov
, on 25 January 1808.
of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
in 1797. He was further promoted to a lieutenant-general in 1802 and appointed a Knight of the Garter
in 1805. After serving as a plenipotentiary
on a special mission to Austria in 1807, he was aso appointed Governor of Guernsey and finally promoted to a general
in 1812.
Lord Pembroke died on 26 October 1827 at his London
home, Pembroke House
and was buried at Wilton
on 12 November. After having previously quarreled with his eldest surviving son, Robert, over the latter's marriage to the widowed Italian
princess, Octavia Spinelli de Rubari, Pembroke left the bulk of his unentailed
and personal estate to his only son by his second wife, Sidney (later created Baron Herbert of Lea
).
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke and 8th Earl of Montgomery, KG
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, PC (10 September 1759 – 26 October 1827) was a British peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
, army officer and politician.
Early life
Born Lord Herbert at the family home, Wilton HouseWilton House
Wilton House is an English country house situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years....
in Wilton
Wilton, Wiltshire
Wilton is a town in Wiltshire, , England, with a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons. Today it is dwarfed by its larger and more famous neighbour, Salisbury, but still has a range of notable shops and attractions, including Wilton House.The confluence of the rivers Wylye and Nadder is at...
, he was the only son of Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke and 7th Earl of Montgomery
Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke
Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke, 7th Earl of Montgomery was the son of the ninth earl of Pembroke, and was named after his father.-Biography:...
and his wife, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery
Elizabeth Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery was the daughter of Charles Spencer and Elizabeth Trevor.-Biography:Born Elizabeth Spencer to Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough and Elizabeth Trevor....
, the second daughter of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough KG, PC , known as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier and politician. He briefly served as Lord Privy Seal in 1755...
. He had a younger sister Charlotte, who died at the age of 10. He was educated at home and then Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
from 1770 to 1775.
Military career
After leaving Harrow, Herbert was appointed an ensignEnsign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the 12th Regiment of Foot in 1775 and travelled the continent
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
over the next five years, visiting France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with Rev. William Coxe
William Coxe
William Coxe , English historian, son of Dr. William Coxe, Physician to the Royal Household, was born in London. After his father's death his mother Martha married John Christopher Smith, who was Handel's amanuensis ....
and Capt. John Floyd
Sir John Floyd, 1st Baronet
General Sir John William Floyd, 1st Baronet , was a British cavalry officer.Born on 22 February 1748, he was the oldest child of Captain John Floyd and Mary Floyd ....
.
Herbert was promoted to a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1777 and became a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in the 75th Regiment of Foot
75th Regiment of Foot
Four regiments of the British Army have been numbered the 75th Regiment of Foot:*75th Regiment of Foot , formed 1758 and disbanded 1763*75th Regiment of Foot , renumbered from the 118th in 1763...
in 1778, before transferring to 1st The Royal Dragoons later that year. In 1781, he transferred to the 22nd Light Dragoons and the following year was promoted to a lieutenant-colonel in the 2nd Dragoon Guards.
At the start of the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, Herbert saw action in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, where he commanded the 2nd and 3rd Dragoon Guards
3rd Dragoon Guards
The 3rd Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards in 1922....
and liaised with Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n and Austrian forces. He was also active in the Siege of Valenciennes
Siege of Valenciennes
The Siege of Valenciennes, also known as the Siege of Utrecht, took place from November 1676 to March 1677, during the Franco-Dutch War. A French army besieged the city of Valenciennes, which was then a part of the Spanish Netherlands and defended by a small army of the Holy Roman Empire. The city...
in 1793 and captured an enemy post at Hundssluyt, near Dunkirk, later that year.
Politics
At the general election of 1780, Herbert became Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the family borough of Wilton
Wilton (UK Parliament constituency)
Wilton was the name of a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1295 to 1707, then in the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of the Parliament of the...
and sided with the Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
opposition. He held the seat until 1784 when he was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
and sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. He held the seat for Wilton again from 1788 to 1794, the year he inherited his father's titles and estate and also succeeded him as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire. From 1750, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Wiltshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Wiltshire:*William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1551 – 17 March 1570...
.
Marriages
On 8 April 1787, Lord Pembroke married his first cousin, Elizabeth Beauclerk (d. 1793), the daughter of Topham BeauclerkTopham Beauclerk
Topham Beauclerk was a celebrated wit and the only son of Lord Sidney Beauclerk; he was the great-grandson of King Charles II. He was a friend of Dr...
and his wife, Diana
Lady Diana Beauclerk
Not to be confused with the 20th-century Princess of Wales of the same maiden nameLady Diana Beauclerk was an English noblewoman and artist....
.
After the death of his wife in 1793, Pembroke married Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova
Catherine Vorontsov
Countess Ekaterina Semyonovna Vorontsova was the daughter of Semyon Vorontsov, Russian ambassador in Britain, and the only sister of Prince Mikhail Vorontsov, Viceroy of New Russia and Caucasus ....
, a daughter of Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov
Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov
Count Semyon Romanovich Vorontsov was a Russian diplomat whose siblings included Alexander Vorontsov, Elizaveta Vorontsova, and Ekaterina Dashkova...
, on 25 January 1808.
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes | Mother |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Herbert | 1788 | 1793 | Elizabeth Beauclerk | |
| Lady Diana Herbert | 1790 | 1841 | married Welbore Agar, 2nd Earl of Normanton | Elizabeth Beauclerk |
| Robert Henry, styled Viscount Herbert Robert Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke Robert Henry Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke and 9th Earl of Montgomery was a British nobleman in line for great estates and position as head of the distinguished Herbert family and heir to the earldom of Pembroke, but lived an irregular life in exile after a dissolute youth.-Early years:Herbert... |
19 September 1791 | 25 April 1862 | married Ottavia Spinelli had no issue; Alexina Sophia Gallot (mistress) had illegitimate issue | Elizabeth Beauclerk |
| Hon. Charles Herbert | 1793 | 1798 | Elizabeth Beauclerk | |
| Lady Elizabeth Herbert | 1809 | 1858 | married Richard Meade, 3rd Earl of Clanwilliam Richard Meade, 3rd Earl of Clanwilliam Richard Charles Francis Christian Meade, 3rd Earl of Clanwilliam GCH was a British ambassador.The only son of the 2nd Earl of Clanwilliam , Lord Clanwilliam was educated Eton and afterwards joined the Diplomatic Service.He attended Lord Castlereagh's suite at the Congress of Vienna in 1814 and was... had issue |
Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova |
| Hon. Sidney Herbert Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea PC was an English statesman and a close ally and confidante of Florence Nightingale.-Early life:... |
16 September 1810 | 2 August 1861 | Caroline Norton (affair) had no issue; married Lady Elizabeth Herbert of Lea had issue | Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova |
| Lady Mary Herbert | 1813 | 1892 | married George Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury George Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury George William Frederick Brudenell-Bruce, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury KG, PC, DL , styled Lord Bruce between 1814 and 1821 and Earl Bruce between 1821 and 1856, was a British peer, Liberal politician and courtier.-Background and education:Born in Lower Grosvenor Street, London, Bruce was the oldest... had no issue |
Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova |
| Lady Catherine Herbert Catherine Murray, Countess of Dunmore Catherine Murray, Countess of Dunmore , was a British peeress and promoter of Harris Tweed.-Family:... |
31 October 1814 | 12 February 1886 | married Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore Alexander Edward Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore was the son of George Murray, 5th Earl of Dunmore.On 27 September 1836, he married Lady Catherine Herbert, daughter of the 11th Earl of Pembroke... had issue |
Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova |
| Lady Georgiana Herbert | 1817 | 1841 | married Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne Henry Thomas Petty-Fitzmaurice, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne KG , styled Lord Henry Petty-FitzMaurice until 1836 and Earl of Shelburne between 1836 and 1863, was a British politician.-Background and education:... had no issue; she is Henry's 1st wife |
Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova |
| Lady Emma Herbert | 1819 | 1884 | married Thomas Vesey, 3rd Viscount de Vesci Thomas Vesey, 3rd Viscount de Vesci Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Vesey, 3rd Viscount de Vesci , was an Irish peer and Conservative politician.-Background:... had issue |
Countess Catherine Semyonovna Vorontsova |
Later life
In 1795, Pembroke was promoted to a major-general and became colonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
The 6th Dragoons was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1689. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th/6th Dragoons in 1922.The 'Skins' are one of the four ancestor regiments of the Royal Dragoon...
in 1797. He was further promoted to a lieutenant-general in 1802 and appointed a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1805. After serving as a plenipotentiary
Diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is the system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. Over time it has been formalized on an international basis.-Ranks:...
on a special mission to Austria in 1807, he was aso appointed Governor of Guernsey and finally promoted to a general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in 1812.
Lord Pembroke died on 26 October 1827 at his London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
home, Pembroke House
Pembroke House, Whitehall
Pembroke House, located on Whitehall, was the London residence of the earls of Pembroke-History:It was built by the "architect earl" Henry Herbert in 1723–24 , on ground leased by the earl in 1717 and 1729 amidst the ruins of the parts of Whitehall Palace that burned down in 1698...
and was buried at Wilton
Wilton, Wiltshire
Wilton is a town in Wiltshire, , England, with a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons. Today it is dwarfed by its larger and more famous neighbour, Salisbury, but still has a range of notable shops and attractions, including Wilton House.The confluence of the rivers Wylye and Nadder is at...
on 12 November. After having previously quarreled with his eldest surviving son, Robert, over the latter's marriage to the widowed Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
princess, Octavia Spinelli de Rubari, Pembroke left the bulk of his unentailed
Entail
Entail may refer to:* Fee tail, a term of art in common law describing a limited form of succession....
and personal estate to his only son by his second wife, Sidney (later created Baron Herbert of Lea
Baron Herbert of Lea
The barony Herbert of Lea was created in 1861 for Sidney Herbert, a Conservative/Peelite politician. On his death the barony passed to his son, George Herbert, who in 1862 succeeded to the earldom of Pembroke, with which title the barony remains merged....
).